The use of plasma lipid and lipoprotein ratios in interpreting the hyperlipidaemia of pregnancy.

The aim of this study was to determine the lipid and lipoproteins ratio in pregnant mothers and to evaluate their role in the interpretation of hyperlipidaemias. A total of 222 pregnant women who registered for ANC and 222 non-pregnant healthy women of the sameage and parity as control were recruited for the study. A sample of venous blood after an overnight fast was collected for analysis and interpretation. The mean ± SD age (years) of pregnant women, 27.317 ± 7.283 years and that of the non-pregnant women, 26.234 ± 6.234 years are not significantly different, p = 0.429. Total cholesterol, HDL-c and TGs were significantly higher in pregnant women (5.29 ± 1.04 mmol/l, 1.64 ± 0.42 mmol/l and 1.74 ± 0.42 mmol/l) compared with that of non-pregnant women (4.64 ± 0.92 mmol/l, 1.25 ± 0.35 mmol/l and 1.37 ± 0.45 mmol/l, respectively) All showed p < 0.000. The frequencies of hypercholesterolaemia, 96(43.2%) and hypertriglyceridaemia, 82 (36.9%), are significantly higher in the pregnant women than in the non-pregnant women, 58 (26.1%) and 26 (11.7%), respectively. TC/HDL-C ratio, 3.33 ± 1.01 and LDL/HDL-C ratio, 1.91 ± 0.85 are significantly lower in pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women counterparts, 3.89 ± 0.97 and 2.35 ± 0.84, respectively. Similarly the frequencies of increased TC/HDL-C ratio, 22 (9.9%) and LDL/HDL-C ratio, 16 (7.2%) are significantly less in the pregnant compared with the non-pregnant women, 54 (24.3%) and 28 (12.6%), respectively.

Lipid profile in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients attending University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri-Nigeria.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease, and accounts for 50% of all deaths in them. Dyslipidaemia does not only accelerate atherosclerosis in these patients but also progresses the renal disease. This study therefore set to investigate the pattern of lipid profile in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients. METHODS: This was case control study of 63 pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients attending University of Maiduguri teaching Hospital and 60 control subjects. All factors that may lead to dyslipidaemia were excluded in all subjects except hypertension. Lipid profiles were measured by standard methods. Data were analyzed using a statistical software SPSS version 11.0. Their observed differences in mean-SEM values were analyzed for statistical significance using Student's t-test andp-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: the mean+SEM of total cholesterol 4.50+0.14 mmol/L and triglycerides 2.18+0.10 mmol/L in patients were significantly higher than that of the controls 3.79+0.11 mmol/L and 1.19+0.06 mmol/L respectively, p<0.05. Similarly the mean+SEM of LDL 2.62+0.16 mmol/L and LDL/HDL ratio 3.53+0.12 in patients were significantly higher when compared to that of the controls 2.04+0.16 mmol/L and 2.04+0.08 respectively, p<0.05. However, although the mean+SEM HDL in patient 1.07+0.07 mmol/L, was lower than that of the controls 1.21+0.06 mmol/L, the difference was not statistically significant, p>0.05. The pattern of lipid profile did not change with severity of disease and dyslipidaemia in patients were more in triglycerides, 68.3% and HDL, 63.5% than in TC, 22.2% and LDL, 17.5%. CONCLUSION: Dyslipidaemia is common in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients. It is pertinent to investigate and treat dyslipidaemia early in the course of the disease as it may prevent further progression of the renal damage.

The usefulness of total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein--cholesterol ratio in interpreting lipid profile results of diabetes mellitus patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and/or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol ratios in the interpretation of lipid profile result in clinical practice. METHODS: This is a prospective case-control study involving 109 diabetics, 98 diabetic hypertensives, 102 hypertensives and 120 control subjects. Serum lipid profile and plasma glucose were determined using appropriate methods. RESULTS: The mean ages of the different study groups were similar. Body mass indices of diabetics with or without hypertension were significantly higher than that of the controls. The difference in the mean total cholesterol of each group was not statistically significant when compared with the controls. A significant difference existed in the mean LDL when the different study groups were compared with the controls. There was a significant difference in the mean TG of DM and DM/hypertension patients compared with that of controls. However, the mean TG of hypertensive patients was not statistically different with that of the controls. The mean HDL was lower in each group of patients compared to that of the controls however the difference was not statistically significant. The mean TC/HDL ratios were significantly higher in all groups of patients when compared to that of the controls while HDL/TC ratios were significantly lower in all categories of patients when compared to that of the controls. CONCLUSION: The ratios identified more dyslipidaemia than either of the lipid profile components. Therefore, the use of TC/HDL and or HDL/ TC ratios should be encouraged in screening for dyslipidaemia in diabetic patients with or without hypertension in clinical practice.